MAYWOOD, NJ — Ikegami (www.ikegami.com) recently completed work on an 8K outside broadcast (OB) production vehicle for NHK. The truck is designed to operate as a mobile 8K broadcast production facility, complete with 22.2 channel surround sound.
Last March, Ikegami introduced its SHK-810 fourth-generation 8K television camera, which was developed in co-operation with Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK). The 810 is about one tenth the size and weight of Ikegami's first generation 8K camera and offers significantly improved operability. The company's efforts to develop 8K broadcast production equipment have focused on achieving extremely high resolution combined with Ikegami's proven ability to deliver very wide dynamic image processing. Ikegami also has long experience in producing mobile television production trucks, having produced more than 800 OB vehicles.
In Japan, the road map for 8K broadcasting announced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications specifies that trial broadcast transmissions will be conducted in 2016. Regular 8K broadcast services are planned to begin in 2018.
8K broadcasting production captures 16 times more image information than HDTV. Organizing an 8K OB vehicle is therefore much more challenging than designing and producing traditional OB vehicles. The 8K OB vehicle produced by Ikegami can operate not only in Japan, but worldwide, and can be used for global sporting events such as the Olympic Games.
Ikegami delivered the 8K OB vehicle to NHK in September.